By Aaron Wilson
It was much more difficult for the SaberCats emotionally to deal with the abrupt end of an epically successful season than it was to find perspective about the big picture of a vastly improved franchise.
Over the past three years, the SaberCats have made exponential progress.
They’ve qualified for the playoffs each of those years.
They had the top record in franchise history and the best record, 14-2, in Major League Rugby this season.
All of that momentum came to a screeching halt in the Western Conference semifinals in a loss to the Dallas Jackals, ending the SaberCats’ season.
That doesn’t mean the future isn’t extremely bright for the SaberCats, though.
“I think if you were to take a look at where we’re at now versus where we were three ago, you could really tip your hat to everyone involved, players, coaches, management, it’s awesome to see the growth of this franchise in the last three years,” Christian Dyer said. “Our goal is to win the shield, and we came up short.”
With a talented roster and several players looking forward to completing unfinished business, the SaberCats’ next step is improvement in the postseason.
They were eliminated in the first round this year and last year, losing to the Seattle Seawolves in 2023. Three seasons ago, they qualified for the Western Conference finals only to lose to Seattle.
“I think it’s definitely a bright future,” leading scorer Davy Coetzer said. “Every year, we’ve improved and we have better players, better support. It’s about figuring out how we can win games in the playoffs. Unfortunately, we didn’t win this match. We keep on building. We take lessons from this year and we look forward to next year.”
Against the Jackals, the SaberCats weren’t able to sustain their scoring and had some glaring defensive breakdowns.
“I think we’re on the right track,” Taulatasi Tasi said. “Obviously, would have loved to have gone for that trophy, but there’s always next year. A good group of guys, good players. Hopefully, we all stick together for next season.”
Under the leadership of director Heyneke Meyer and coach Pote Human, the SaberCats have gotten better and better.
“I think we have a thing with the SaberCats that’s working, and Heyneke made a difference here,” Nathan Den Hoedt said. “Everybody is talented. This one didn’t go our way, but I think there’s a bright future for the SaberCats and looking forward to the future.”
The SaberCats made strides in attendance, merchandising and buzz, including an uptick in interest around the greater Houston area.
“Definitely with the crowds we’re pulling, you can see the amount of growth we’ve made in the sport and the buy-in of the guys with the successful back-to-back seasons we’ve had,” Pono Davis said. “There’s a lot to look forward to, but it’s hard to think about that right now. It’s a tough one to swallow.”
Dominic Akina thoroughly enjoyed his experience with the SaberCats, including being a part of a close-knit locker room. He can’t wait for next season.
“This year, we came up short, but we have a huge building block to go off for next season,” Akina said. “The season was strong. We just fell short at the end. We know what we’re capable of. We’re just going to keep pushing. Things look good for us next season. I enjoyed this year a lot.
“It’s one of my favorite seasons. Playing with the boys, the camaraderie and brotherhood and family, you can tell we clicked as a team. And that’s from the culture inside and outside of the building. We were together always. The boys were buying in and next season a lot of us will be returning back, so it’s going to be awesome.”
